Trick or Treat?

31 Oct 08. 2.17pm
Happy Halloween! Or All Hallows Eve.
Does anybody really know why we celebrate Hallow'een?? not many I'm sure, I certainly didn't really know, until today! A bit of an educational entry from me today. After some research I have the full story.

The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.

So there you have it a brief history of Halloween. Obviously it has evolved over the years and become incredibly commercialised (mainly in the States). Trick or Treating has become rather literal and been taken to extremes in some cases which is a big shame, and actually makes it a very terrifying time of year for some people.

I shall be ready at my door this evening handing out treats to any children with costumes that I deem worthy of them...and not giving just some hooded youth demanding food. If they threaten me with a trick I shall set Louis on them...although what he would do I dont know?? Slobber all over them? thats enough to make anyone run away :)